November 7, 2017

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For many old-school PC users, Windows 8 was a bit of a disappointment. Microsoft prioritized tablet functionality at the expense of the mouse-and-keyboard experience, leaving many Windows users perplexed as to how to navigate. Thankfully, Windows 10 put the emphasis back on the keyboard and that means shortcuts. For those looking to learn the ropes in Windows 10, you’ll want to learn the basics first, such as how to type symbols and how to copy and paste.

But even if you’ve been using Windows since you could read, there’s actually quite a lot of new functionality to learn in Windows 10. With all of these exclusive features, such as the Cortana smart assistant, there are a bunch of new corresponding Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts. That means even if you’re a Windows veterans, you might be in unfamiliar territory when you boot up Windows 10 for the first time.

Get caught up to speed quickly with our handy guide to some of the more important keyboard shortcuts you need to know in Windows 10.

New Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

Windows 10 opened up a world of new keyboard shortcuts to better navigate and utilize the operating system’s interface and features. Below is a set of some of the new keyboard functions available for Windows 10 users. Be sure to hold down the Windows key () to the left of the spacebar before punching the appropriate letter or key.

Don’t feel bad about referring back to the chart as needed — memorization will come in time.

Keyboard shortcutFunction

+ Q
Open Cortana for voice input

+ S
Open Cortana for text input
+ I
Open Windows settings pane

+ A
Open Windows 10 Action Center
+ X
Open Start button context menu

+ Left
Snap active window to left

+ Right
Snap active window to right

+ Up
Snap active window to top of screen

+ Down
Snap active window to bottom of screen

+ Ctrl + D
Create a new virtual desktop

+ Crtl + Left
Cycle through desktops to the left

+ Ctrl + Right
Cycle through desktops to the right

+ Ctrl + F4
Close current desktop

+ TAB
Access all desktops and apps in Task View

+ PrtSc
Take a screenshot and save it to Pictures folder

+ G
Open the Game DVR recorder

+ Alt + G
Start recording current activity on screen

+ Alt + R
Stop recording

Command prompt shortcuts

The revised Windows 10 command prompt also has new shortcuts, making it easier to use.

Keyboard shortcutFunction
Shift + Left
Highlight text to the left of cursor
Shift + Right
Highlight text to the right of cursor
Ctrl + C
Copy selected text to clipboard
Ctrl + V
Paste text from clipboard into command prompt
Ctrl + A
Select all text after prompt

General Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

There are plenty of returning keyboard shortcuts to go along with all the new Windows 10 shortcuts. The following are some of the most basic, general, and sought-after keyboard shortcuts for general day-to-day use for Windows users.